Dr. Dre and Beats Electronics are Suing Yamaha for Copying Their Headphone Design

Dr. Dre and Beats Electronics have filed a lawsuit against Yamaha claiming that they directly copied the Beats By Dr. Dre headphone design. The suit states, "Consumers appreciated the design, as well as the sound quality, of Beats and began wearing the Beats headphones around their necks as a fashion accessory even when not listening to music. In fact, the design of the Beats headphones has been a significant driver of the commercial success of the products.”

Dre and Beats are suing Yamaha for $75,000, which seems like a minuscule figure compared to the suits involving hip-hop artists we've seen lately, claiming Yamaha is guilty of Trade Dress Infringement, Unfair Competition, and Patent Infringement. They also argue that Yamaha's advertisements are profiting off the success of Beats By Dr. Dre, and Dre's status as a rap mogul, too.